BIR launches Mindanao-wide tax campaign in Caraga
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) formally kicked off the pilot conduct of its Mindanao-wide tax campaign on February 20 in the Caraga region, drawing more than 2,000 participants composed of BIR national executives, officials, and personnel from the five Mindanao revenue regional offices, along with their invited taxpayers.
The annual campaign underscores taxpayers’ responsibility and their vital role in nation-building. Each year, the BIR reminds citizens that taxes are not merely obligations but the lifeblood of government programs and services, funding schools, hospitals, roads, disaster response, and social protection. The campaign frames tax compliance as a shared duty, where every peso collected contributes directly to national progress.
BIR Regional Office No. 17 – Caraga Director Esmeralda M. Tabule highlighted this message by echoing the words of BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza: “You [taxpayers] are our VIPs. Our very important partners.”
“More than a ceremonial opening, this gathering reaffirms our shared responsibility of ensuring that every peso collected translates into tangible benefits for our people and our communities. Through this campaign, we reinforce the vital connection between tax compliance and nation-building,” Tabule added.
During the program, an overview of each region’s economy was presented, highlighting the key industries that drive local growth. The presentations emphasized Mindanao’s diversity and how this broad economic base expands opportunities to generate revenues and strengthen contributions to nation-building.
Following the program, a press conference with local media partners was held, in which BIR officials thoroughly discussed the agency’s thrust toward digitalization of transactions, especially those related to tax compliance. The initiative aims to make processes more efficient, transparent, and accessible, thereby encouraging greater taxpayer participation and trust in the system.
The Mindanao-wide campaign serves as the opening salvo for BIR’s nationwide tax awareness drive, aiming to strengthen partnerships with taxpayers, and encouraging voluntary compliance across the country. Ultimately, tax compliance plays a crucial role in improving governance and advancing the nation’s economy, as revenues collected enable the government to deliver better public services, invest in infrastructure, and promote inclusive growth for all Filipinos. (NJGD, PIA Caraga)
